FOREWORD

In spring 2007, Jack Sedgwick, a veterinary surgeon, who had spent his life since the late 1920’s in the village, gave a talk in the village hall. He presented an interesting insight into his early days and identified just five others who had lived all their lives in the village, from about the same time.

This talk stimulated discussion into the fact that the history of the village had never been recorded. So from it a Papcastle Local History Group was formed with the intention of recovering as much as possible and with the expectation of publishing at least a small volume.

By the autumn of 2008, it was clear that a major decision was needed – whether to publish what had been discovered so far or to hold off for some distant date when many more months, or possibly years of painstaking research might have been done. That would require regular trips to the Records Offices and not inconsiderable expense.

This book is therefore a first edition, and one day may be superseded by a superior fresh and much extended edition. Notes of the sources which might repay further work are given in Appendix 1. Whilst attempting to record the past, it was recognised that in years to come, what is happening today becomes the past as well. So we have included a significant amount of detail about the contemporary scene.

The members of the group who have been active in producing material are Phil Balgue, Jim Dryden, Susan Fleming, Greg Greenhalgh, Andrea Haley, Polli Martin, Jenni Rushton and Elspeth White. Others in the village have been supportive in supplying miscellaneous information, in particular Robert Jackson, David Bromley and Mike Apperley. Much of the text has been written and the overall design done by me and any errors or omissions are therefore my responsibility.

Our thanks go to many villagers who have loaned their house deeds or provided other fascinating pieces of information.